The Perfect Pet

Here are my 8 reasons that I love guinea pigs endorse them as the perfect pet for large families with small children:

1) They are cute, even as adults.  All puppies and kittens are cute, but most cats and dogs lose that irresistible cuteness when they are full grown.  Same with rabbits.  We went to Thanksgiving Point last week and for a brief moment of insanity I was considering buying one of their cute little fluffy rabbits for $15.

I admit it, they are CUTE.

Mel and Ethan showing me their best "Can we please have a pet rabbit" faces

But lucky for us, the mother rabbit of those bunnies was really big and un-cute enough (no offense Mrs. Rabbit) that, even though I said we were not going to be buying one anyway, I was also able to stop them from even desiring one by pointing out what those cute bunnies would end up like.  Full grown guinea pigs, however, are still just cute balls of fluff with cute little black eyes. 

2) They sit still - I can put them on the grass and they will still be there an hour later.  All they need is their little igloo house or some other place to hide.

3) They are low maintenance.  They are fine to be left alone for the whole day or to be handled the whole day.  Just need water, food, & hay.  Yesterday I put Butterfinger on the grass right by Sophia and she poked him a few times and he just sat there and continued eating.

4) They are quiet.  They squeek/squeel sometimes, but it's very quiet.  But that is how they got the pig name, cause they kinda sound like little squeeling pigs sometimes. 

5) They don't bite.  The little kids will carry these cute pets around like dolls and dress them up and they just take it.  I love it, they are real live dress up pets!

Medusa and Butterfinger on a date last week

...Unlike the rabbit which we are pet-sitting this week who kicks and scratches the kids to get away from them.

6) They don't try to escape from us or their bin - we don't have to have a lid on it or chain them up or lock them in, they just sit and chill.  (Btw, we did find the rat that escaped last week the same day he went missing, phew)

7) They are large enough - they are easy to see and keep track of unlike small pets

8) They are small enough - the kids can clean up their bin by themselves. unlike if we had a pony.

Although I know that Lily would l-o-v-e a pony! 

The kids were even grossed out by picking up the puppy-dog's poop last week, wimps.  I cleaned up after her, which is why they are unworthy to be dog owners.

From a parent's perspective, I give guinea pigs 5 out of 5 stars for being low maintenance, cute, gentle, patient (as my kids dress them up), and teaching my kids some responsibility without me going nuts.